Anil Biswas's daughter Ajanta steps out of the hospital on Sunday afternoon

Calcutta, March 19: A second operation was performed on state CPM secretary Anil Biswas this evening to remove a fresh clot in his brain.

Last night, surgeons had carried out an emergency operation to remove a blood clot from Biswas's brain. But a CT scan today revealed another big clot and doctors said there was inter-cerebral bleeding.

A part of the clot had remained after the surgery and with the haemorrhage continuing, it became heavy. The second operation was carried out around 7.30 this evening, doctors said, adding that his condition remained critical.

Jayanta Basu, a member of a medical board set up for Biswas, said the CPM leader's left side was paralysed. 'This is a kind of stroke caused by high blood pressure and hypertension. Biswas had a history of high blood pressure.'

The CPM leader is on a ventilator at cabin A-4 of the intensive coronary care unit of a private hospital.

A medical bulletin released this afternoon said: 'Anil Biswas was admitted yester- day with a massive brain haemorrhage and subsequently underwent an emergency brain operation to remove the clot'. The medical board reviewed his condition at 10 am and another CT scan was carried out.'

The CPM state secretariat held an emergency meeting this morning to review the situation. Left Front chairman and politburo member Biman Bose said Biswas's political programmes would be distributed among senior leaders.

All election-related meetings of the party this morning were cancelled.

Biswas suddenly fell ill at home last night after chairing a meeting of the CPM state committee.

He was rushed to the hospital and an hour-long operation was carried out from 11 pm to drain the clot in the right temporo-parietal region of the brain.

Party sources said he did not eat anything during the eight-hour stay at the CPM headquarters yesterday. He returned home in the evening and had bread and a boiled egg. Supposed to leave for Malda at night, he asked for dinner and started packing his bag.

A CPM leader at the hospital said Biswas started feeling sick around 8.30 pm and called up party general secretary Prakash Karat in Delhi to inform him that he was seriously ill. Then he fell on the bed.

Family members called leaders in the city and Jayanta Basu, who rushed to his house near Entally market.

A CPM leader said Biswas spoke to the doctor and gradually slipped into unconsciousness. Biswas was then taken to the hospital, accompanied by his wife Gita, daughter Ajanta and son-in-law. Emergency tests began immediately.

Health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra, himself a physician, rushed to the hospital and stayed till late night. Left leaders thronged the place today, among them were the CPM's Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader A.B. Bardhan.